“PERFECT STORM” part four! The Flash teams up with an unlikely ally as the fight for Central City rages on. Meanwhile, Grodd sinks his telepathic teeth into the Flash Family as he tries to finish Barry Allen once and for all!

I was not much of a fan of The Flash #42. After rereading issue #41, I realized something: Joshua Williamson does not currently seem to like Barry Allen and it’s pretty obvious. He writes Wally as the character deserves while putting Barry Allen down and making him obsessed with getting the speedforce back. Barry is treated as if his only care is that he has his speed. He even tries to get August aka Godspeed to kill Grodd for him in order for Barry to regain the speedforce. I’m really not sure what Williamson’s plan for Barry’s redemption is, as he’s becoming pretty despicable and mad scientist like in this arc so far. It’s going to take a lot to rebuild him and I’m just not sure Williamson is going to be able to do it.

Meanwhile Wally West is written really well, with care put into his pages and it’s even more evident that Williamson just wants to write Wally. This is why I’m hoping a Wally West book written by Williamson is in the future as then at least he can write about a character he obviously cares about rather continuing to make Barry worse and worse. He isn’t as bad as Venditti though — that’s a real low in the franchise.

Godspeed points out the parallels between himself and Barry within the issue and again, it’s really obvious but instead of it being finding the killer of his brother (with August) it’s an obsession with having the speedforce that Barry has instead.

The artwork on the issue is alright. I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me. However some areas of the issue don’t look amazing. There’s a page where Grodd looks really weirdly drawn and also Wally West II looks really strange when he’s drawn. The coloring suits the artwork but it’s a strange choice and again it’s a shame that Carmine Di Giandomenico couldn’t finish all the issues for his final arc.

The Flash #42

Is it good?

Williamson writes an amazing Wally in this issue who contrasts with an awful Barry, which is a shame.

Wally West is written amazingly as usual by Williamson with obvious love and care put into his pages.